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9/25/11 8:51 PM | Ricky Dimon
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beats Ivan Ljubicic in three sets on Sunday to win a back-and-forth final in Metz. This is Tsonga's first ATP title of the year.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put the home crowd through a scare in the Moselle Open final on Sunday, but in the end he defeated Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3 after two hours and 36 minutes. Tsonga fired 14 aces and broke serve six times en route to his first ATP title of the season.
A surprising opening set featured four service breaks, in part due to poor serving. Tsonga made only 58 percent of his first serves, but that was far better than Ljubicic's 47 percent. The Frenchman seized an immediate break for 1-0 then struck again for 5-2 thanks to a flurry of Ljubicic errors.
The insurance break proved to be necessary, because Tsonga gave one of them back with a lackluster service game. After breaking at love, though, Ljubicic promptly folded on serve once again. The 32-year-old Croat fell into a 0-40 hole, saved two set points, then lost it by netting a backhand.
With momentum in hand, Tsonga appeared to be off to the races in set two. The world No. 10 was easily the superior player from the back of the court and his fourth break of the day--punctuated with a crushing backhand down the line--gave gave him a 3-1 lead. Tsonga soon had two break chances at 4-1 to blow the match completely wide open.
When Ljubicic saved both break points and survived three deuces to hold, the tide suddenly turned. Metz's No. 4 seed broke out of nowhere at 2-4 when Tsonga double-faulted and he held his own serve the rest of the way to force a tiebreaker. Ljubicic again mounted a comeback, this time from 4-2 down in the 'breaker to win five straight points and force a third set in improbable fashion.
Tsonga, though, finally took control once and for all. The top seed broke in the third game of the final set and never looked back as he lost only five points in four service games. For good measure, Tsonga broke again at 5-3 to clinch the title in style. Ljubicic fought off one match point at 30-40, but he was forced into an error at ad-out to end the match.
"I am so happy to have won the title, it was a long time since I lifted a trophy and I am happy I was able to do here in Metz, in front of the French public," said Tsonga, who captured his sixth career title in nine finals. "I knew it was going to be difficult."
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Great win for an exciting player!
stratocast51 , 9/25/11 10:05 PM